Fuel valve lock



Patented June 1 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a fuel valve lock. The principal object of this invention is to provide a fuel valve lock to be inserted in the fuel line of an automobile or other motor vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, durable, and efficient device which may be locked without the use of a key by any one of a number of exposed push buttons.

A still further object of this invention is to 10 provide a fuel valve look that must be unlocked by means of a key.

This invention has been designed to make the unauthorized use of any motor vehicle more difficult in that the owner or operator may at any 15 time cause the fuel to be shut 01f completely from the motor. In the event of a hold-up the owner or operator simply pushes any one of a number of small push buttons, which may be placed anywhere about the car, thus locking the fuel line.

20 With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with parts broken away and parts in cross section.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1 showing the releasing mechanism in 35 detail.

Figure 3 is a detail of a portion of the operating means of Figure 1.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that numeral I is a metal housing preferably adapted 40 to be bolted beneath the floor boards of an automobile, and has positioned therein a casting 2. This casting 2 is provided with a threaded opening 4 and bore 5 leading to a valve chamber 6. The valve chamber 6 is adapted to receive a 45 plunger 7. A secondary bore 8 leads from the valve chamber 6 to a threaded outlet opening 9. A washer IE] is positioned on the seat portion of the valve chamber 6. A gasket l l is positioned partially within the casting 2 and adapted to fit 50 tightly against the sides of the plunger 1. This plunger 'I has a relatively small top portion [2 which is provided with a pair of recesses l3. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) A coil spring I4 is positioned on top of this top portion l2 and extends upwardly 55 against the inside of the metal housing I. There is also positioned upon this top portion l2 of the plunger '1 a tubular member l5. This tubular member l has a pair'of spiral slots [6 located therein. Positioned directly above this tubular member l5 and extending beyond the metal housing I is a cylinder lock IT. This cylinder lock [1 has the usual bar l8 extending downwardly from it and in this bar there is positioned a pin l9. This pin l9 also extends through the spiral slots iii of the tubular member I 5. When the cylinder 10 look I l is operated the bar l8 turns, thus causing the pin l9 to lift the tubular member I5 and plunger 1 by means of the spiral slots in the tubular member Hi.

In Figure 1 the plunger 1 is shown in a lifted position and is being held in that position by means of a pair of jaws which in turn are operated by a secondary pair of jaws 2i and pivoted to the casting 2 by means of a pin 22. A connector portion 23 is provided so that it may be pushed by means of a wire 24 which is positioned within a flexible cable 25. The wire 24 and flexible cable 25 lead to a push button 25 which is positioned in a portion 21 of the automobile as shown in detail in Figure 3.

In operation the device acts as followsz-The person desiring to lock the device simply pushes the button 26 which in turn moves the wire 24. The wire 24 exerts pressure upon the connector 23 and the secondary jaws 2|, thus causing the jaws 20 to open slightly. As the jaws 20 open they emerge from the recesses in the top portion l2 of the plunger 1, thus allowing the coil spring It to push this plunger 1 downwardly against the washer [0 in the valve chamber 6, thus shutting off the flow of. fuel through the device. When the operator desires to unlock the device the key is turned in the cylinder lock ll thus turning the bar E8 of the cylinder lock which in turn, through the pin l9 and spiral slot [6, raises the plunger 1. A small spring 28 positioned between the jaws 20, causes them to snap into the recesses [3 of the top portion l2, thus holding the plunger 1 in a raised position and allowing the fuel to flow through the device.

What I claim is:-

1. In a fuel valve lock comprising a valve casting, a metal housing positioned around said valve casting, said valve casting provided with an inlet and outlet opening, a valve chamber centrally positioned within said valve casting,

a plunger having recesses formed in its upper portion and positioned within said valve chamber, a gasket positioned within said valve casting adjacent to said plunger, a spirally slotted tubular member formed on said plunger, means for holding said plunger in an elevated position,

and means for holding said plunger in a closed position, a cylinder lock positioned on said metal 5 housing, an operating bar integral with said cylinder lock and extending within the spirally slotted member of said plunger, a pin positioned in the lower end of said operating bar and engaging the spiral slot in the said tubular member of the plunger. 7

2. In a fuel valve lock comprising a valve casting, a metal housing positioned around said valve casting, said valve casting provided with an inlet and outlet opening, a valve chamber centrally positioned within said valve casting, a plunger having recesses formed in its upper portion and positioned within said valve chamber, a gasket positioned within said valve casting adjacent to said plunger, a spirally slotted tubular member formed on said plunger, a pair of jaws adapted to fit into said recesses and pivoted to said casting,

a secondary pair of jaws pivoted to said first pair of jaws, together with means for operating said jaws, and means for holding said plunger in a closed position, a cylinder lock positioned on said metal housing, an operating bar integral with said cylinder lock and extending within the spirally slotted member of said plunger, a pin positioned in the lower endof said operating bar and engaging the spiral slot in the said tubular member of the plunger.

3. In a fuel valve lock comprising a valve casting, a metal housing positioned around said valve casting, said valve casting provided with an inlet and outlet opening, a valve chamber centrally positioned within said valve casting, a

plunger having recesses formed in its upper portion and positioned within said valve chamber, a gasket positioned within said valve casting adja cent to said plunger, a spirally slotted tubular member formed on said plunger, a pair of jaws adapted to fit into said recesses and pivoted to said casting, a secondary pair of jaws pivoted to said first pair of jaws, together with means for operating said jaws, a coil spring positioned on said plunger adapted to seat said plunger when said jaws are in an open position a cylinder lock positioned on said metal housing, an operating bar integral with said cylinder lock and extending within the spirally slotted member of said plunger, a pin positioned in the lower end of .said operating bar and engaging the spiral slot in the said tubular member of the plunger.

4. In a fuel valve lock comprising a valve casting, a metal housing positioned around said valve casting, said valve casting provided with an inlet and outlet opening, a valve chamber centrally positioned within said valve casting, a plunger having recesses formed in its upper portion and positioned within said valve chamber, a gasket positioned within said valve casting adjacent to said plunger, a spirally slotted tubular member formed on said plunger, means for holding said plunger in an elevated position, a coil spring positioned on said plunger adapted to seat said plunger when said plunger is released, a cylinder lock positioned on said metal housing, an operating bar integral with said cylinder lock and extending within the spirally slotted member of said plunger, a pin positioned in the lower end of said operating bar and engaging the spiral slot in the said tubular member of the plunger.

CHARLES E. LEE/CE. 

